


Masquerade, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-11-13
Updated: 2002-11-13
Packaged: 2019-05-15 10:56:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14789204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh, Donna, Romance, Halloween, a bet, and a Masquerade Ball





	Masquerade, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**The Masquerade**

**by:** Carrie  


**Characters:** Donna, Josh  
**Category:** Romance  
**Rating:** ADULT  
**Summary:** Josh, Donna, Romance, Halloween, a bet, and a Masquerade Ball  
**Notes:** Some Halloween fun, but I hope you enjoy this year-round.  


* * *

****

Late September 2003, Senior Staff Meeting

"And finally," Leo said, looking around at his motley crew, "the President has decided to hold a masquerade ball on Halloween, in honor of President D'Astier's visit from France."

A chorus of groans echoed around the room.

"Masquerade?" whined Josh.

"As in, having to wearing masks?" added a wide-eyed Toby. "All night?"

"Is there even any way the Secret Service is going to allow the President to spend the evening in a room full of masked people?" added Sam, who wasn't as opposed to the idea as Josh and Toby, but felt he needed to seem so, so they wouldn't tease him about his romantic side.

"Yes, yes, and yes," Leo answered with his characteristic brevity. "We've already cleared it with Ron Butterfield; the security's just going to be extra-tight, is all. They'll work with it. And yes, you'll be wearing masks. It'll be an improvement for most of you."

CJ raised her eyebrows in silent reproach.

"I said most of you," Leo answered back, smiling a bit. "The President's very excited about this idea, so let's all get on board and start planning our costumes."

"I've got the back end of a donkey suit for you to wear, Leo," said a booming voice from the side door. The group stood as one and murmured "Good morning, Mr. President" as Bartlet entered the room.

"Did I hear that you've been apprised of my plans for All Hallow's Eve? Won't it be great?"

"Super," said a clearly unimpressed Josh, rolling his eyes a bit. The eye roll did not go unnoticed by the President.

"Ah, a cynic, Josh? Do you even know the history of the masquerade?  It might help pique your interest in the whole affair."

Another audible groan went up in the room, with CJ mouthing the words "Way to Go" at Josh from across the room. They were in for a history lesson now.

"The masquerade," began Bartlet, as he settled himself into an arm chair with a look of unholy glee on his face, "became quite popular in Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. They were enormous outdoor, public events where thousands of revelers - from nobility to commoners - could celebrate in obscurity. The masking allowed an attendee to be someone else for the day - to dress down or up from one's station in life, to flirt with gender roles and cross lines of sexual propriety that normally would never be allowed. You had countesses dressed as milkmaids, and shopkeepers passing as Dukes; men dressed as women and so on. Normal gender rules were suspended; women in 18th century England, for example, were only allowed to go to two places unaccompanied by an escort: to church, and to the masquerade. And, as Europe industrialized, and the cities grew, these sorts of  public entertainments took the place of older pagan celebrations that used to occur in the countryside, on nights such as Mayday and, wait for it…"

"All Hallow's Eve," the group responded, now much more interested in the idea than they had been. 

"Ah, they've done their homework," Bartlet said, smiling. He had them now. "It was a night for mystery, for turning propriety on its ear, for celebration, and for blowing off steam." He looked at his staff.  "I think we could all use a little bit of that. You've all worked so hard for me, for so long, and we didn't get to celebrate Halloween properly last year, with the election craziness."

"I didn't know you were such a fan of the holiday, sir," Sam added, genuinely hoping to hear more.

"I'm a New Englander, Sam. Halloween means crisp, windy nights, with the leaf-littered winds swirling through the trees. It means blood on the moon, witches riding out in the night, and the fairy folk pulling tricks if they aren't offered treats. It means pumpkins hollowed out, and lit from within, to look like protective spirits, guarding the home from the chaos of the night. It's the one night of the year, the Hallow Eve, when the barriers between this world and the underworld are lowered…It's the spirit-night, when the laws of time and space are suspended, and anything can happen. It's the witch's New Year; it's Samhain, the end of summer, the final harvest of the year. It's a night for magic in all its many forms." He paused for dramatic effect. "And, you know, candy. You can't forget about the candy," he said, laughing. "So start working on your costumes, my friends…you do know why we wear costumes on Halloween, don't you?"

"To confuse the spirits that walk the earth so freely that night?" offered Toby.

"Excellent, Toby, and quite right. So find something good and confusing, everyone. Be someone, or something, you're not. Let the normal rules of deference, or propriety, or station in life be lifted for one night," he said, looking at Josh meaningfully as he did so. 

"Within reason, of course. And let's have some fun. Hopefully our French friends will enjoy it as well...although, I'm not getting my hopes up, because Monsieur and Madame D'Astier are both strenuous bores. Anyway. I've gotta go do a thing; I'll see you all later."

President Bartlet stood, then, and made his way out the door. The rest of the staff rose with him, and Leo dismissed them all as the meeting had come to a close. Josh remained behind, however, pondering the President's last words.

"Joshua. Something on your mind?"

"Yeah...no, Leo. I mean, why...did he seem like he was..."

"You'll make sure that Donna and the rest of the support staff know they're invited as well?"

"Donna's invited?" Josh said, with a look of excitement coming over his face.

Leo tried very hard to contain a smile. "Yes, Josh. And Margaret, and Bonnie, and Carol, and..."

"'Kay," Josh said, still sitting, now looking off into space.

"Josh? I've got a country to run, here..."

"Yeah, I know Leo. It's just..." How was he going to say this.

Leo again suppressed a small smile. "I've been meaning to tell you, Josh, that the President and I had a little chat about you the other day."

Josh's attention snapped back to Leo. "You did? About what?"

"Oh, you know, just talking. About you and Donna, actually."

"About me and Donna?" Josh said, eyes wide open.

"Josh...do you know your voice got all high and squeaky there, at the end?"

"Yeah, that...happens...so, me and Donna?"

"Yes. We were just talking about, you know, how lucky you were to have found her. Or, more to the point," Leo continued, "how lucky you were that she all but hired herself all those years ago in Nashua."

"I know, Leo. I...I can't imagine having survived...everything, without her."

Both men sat, silent for a moment, with the sound of guns and ambulances and hospital life-support machines and Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach in their heads.

"We talked about that, too," Leo said, quietly.

Josh looked up at Leo, then, and knew. He knew, now, that Leo had figured out what Josh had only just figured out...that after all this time, he and Donna were finally...ready. The election was behind them; the Republicans couldn't touch them anymore. Cliff; Amy; they, and those messes and heartaches, were behind them. In the many months since winning re-election, Josh and Donna had gotten back to the banter, back to the long touches, the long looks, the teasing, the...wanting. They were back to where they once were, and without having said a word to each other about it, Josh knew that they were on the precipice...they'd either take the plunge, or start misdirecting each other all over again. He didn't think anyone else had noticed. Clearly, he was wrong. He'd been trying to summon the courage to talk to Leo about the possibility of their becoming romantically involved. Leo, clearly, was beating him to the punch.

"So, what sort of conclusions did you and the President come to about me and Donna," Josh said, quietly, eyes on the folded hands in his lap. He was barely hoping.

"Well, I think the President's words on the subject were 'Oh why don't they just get a room and get it over with, already?'" Leo said, smiling.

Josh's head jerked up. "That's not what I want with her, a night in a room," he said, eyes angry. "Is that what you think..."

"No, Josh, he was just being...him. We're just amazed, and thankful, that you waited as long as you have. It would have been bad timing at any other point. We know you think more of her than that."

"And so now you're telling me..."

"That you don't have to wait any more."

"And it's not just about one night?"

"What?"

"The President, talking about the ball, looked right at me and said, 'Let the normal rules of deference, or propriety, or station in life be lifted for one night.'" Just one night?

"No, Josh, not just one night," Leo said quietly. "Not just one night. I think maybe the President was thinking that you two could have your start on that night, with magic in the air and spirits guiding you and all that jazz," Leo said, rolling his eyes. "His romantic side coming through. Go tell Donna about the ball, and...about our conversation. And be happy. And don't screw this up. Because if you hurt her I'm going to disown you."

Josh took a moment, to take it all in. He felt his world shift slightly, finally, into place. And then he smiled. "Thank you, Leo." He paused, then cocked his head. "Disown me, huh? Does that mean I'm in the will?"

"Ok, see, what you did there? Ruined the moment and wore out your welcome. Go do something, we're paying for all this office equipment, here."

Josh laughed. "Yes, sir. Thank you, Leo."

Josh left the room with an extra spring in his step. 

"You're welcome, son," Leo murmured to the empty room.

**************

  
Donna was busy filing all day at the OEOB, and Josh had a number of late meetings on the hill, so he didn't see her again that day until after 9pm. He came around the corner of the bullpen to see her hunched over her computer screen, one hand rubbing the side of her neck.

"Hey," Josh said, coming up from behind her.

"Hi there," Donna said, twirling on her chair to look up at him.  She smiled, happy to see him again. "Did you get MacNicol on board?"

"Of course," Josh said, smug smile firmly in place. His eyes, however, were full of concern for Donna. "Is your neck bothering you?"

"It's ok," Donna said, one hand still rubbing at the tendons on her neck.

"It's not ok, or you wouldn't still be rubbing it," Josh said. "Come in here and I'll rub it for you."

Donna watched Josh's retreating back, and he noticed, at the door to his office, that she wasn't behind him. "Donna?"

"Ok, who are you and what did you do with Josh Lyman? Are you a pod person?"

"Donna, I'm offended. You don't think I notice stuff like this?"

"No."

"Au contraire! I notice stuff all the time."

"Like what?" Donna asked, amused now but still not leaving her seat at her desk.

"Like that you're not following me in here, for starters," Josh said, coming back to her, and pulling her by the hand across the hall and into his office. He left the door slightly ajar, and pulled one of the visitor's chairs behind his desk for her to sit on. He then pulled his desk chair up behind her. Donna turned to face him.

"Ok, Mr. Observational Skills, what else do you think you notice?"

"I notice that it surprises you when I offer to do nice things for you, which wounds me a bit, I must say. Turn around so I can rub your neck."

Donna narrowed her eyes at Josh one last time, then slowly turned around. He began reaching for her shoulders, but then she turned back around one more time. "This isn't a ploy for me to owe you one, so I'll be forced to bring you coffee in the morning, is it, Josh? Because then that's not doing a nice thing, that's just bribery."

"Donnatella. Turn around and shutup so I can do something nice for you, for the love of God."

"Oh, well, when you put it so *nicely*," she said, rolling her eyes, smiling, and turning around.

Truth be told, Donna was nervous. She knew they were on the edge of something, too, and she didn't know if she could handle having his hands on her like this. She was determined, however, to be cool about it. There was no way on God's green earth that she was going to be the one to make the first move here. After all this time, he was going to have to be the one to take that first step. It had to be from him. She knew how she felt...but she didn't think she'd ever be sure of how Josh felt, until he came right out and told her, in words or actions. She didn't want him to kiss her back because she did it first. She wanted him to make the first move.

Donna was happy to be facing away from Josh, because the first light touch of his hands on her shoulders made her eyes flutter, then close in pleasured agony. Chills ran along the tops of her arms and down the plane of her back.  She thought that if they ever did finally get around to having sex, her body might just spontaneously combust from the sensory overload.

Once she thought she could speak in a normal voice again, Donna asked, quietly, "So what else do you notice?"

Josh was quiet for a moment, too. He reveled in the feel of Donna's silky hair slipping around his fingers and tickling the backs of his hands, as he began kneading her tired shoulder muscles with his thumbs and palms, his fingers, for now, resting on her shoulders, immobile. 

It's now or never, he thought to himself. "I notice that you twirl your hair when you're tired," he said, pulling himself and his chair a bit closer to her. "That's when I know it's time for us to go home."

"Good to know," Donna said, with a laugh in her voice.

"Don't think you can try to fake me out on that one, Donna; you won't be able to try to catch my attention and give me a fake twirl to go home early. I've been watching you for too long, I know the real Tired Twirl when I see it," Josh said, now pulling his hands away from her shoulders to gather her hair in one hand and tuck it behind the side of her neck that wasn't sore. He swallowed, hard, at the sight of that long length of neck exposed before him.

Donna's eyes shot open when she heard him say "I've been watching you for too long." They closed again, however, when she felt Josh's fingers dance across the expanse of her neck, probing. 

"Is this where it hurts?" Josh asked, in a low voice, as he pressed his fingertips into the area just below her ear.

"Yes," Donna whispered back, her head tilted to give him better access. Josh's free hand slid into her hair, and supported her head on the other side.

"Relax your shoulders, Donna, or this will never work," Josh said, quietly. His fingers started rubbing in a circular pattern, and as he began working the knotty kink out of the muscles in her neck, Donna let out an inadvertant moan that went straight to his groin.

"Oh, god, that feels good, Josh," Donna said, fingers gripping the arms of the chair she was sitting in. In more ways than one, she thought to herself.

Josh was waging a mental war with his glands, trying desperately to keep all the blood in his body from rushing into his lap at the sound of Donna telling him that his hands made her feel good. He made a solemn promise to himself at that moment that sometime soon he'd hear her say that while she was naked in his bed. He shifted a bit closer, hoping that Donna could feel his breath on her neck.

She could.

Josh started massaging Donna's scalp with the fingers of the hand he was using to support her head. One of the fingers rubbing her sore neck reached up and caressed the rounded edge of her earlobe, and shot sparks through her system.

"Is this ok?" Josh whispered in her ear.

"Yes," Donna whispered back.

Josh's hands gentled and slowed. "Donna?" Josh whispered, again.

"Yes?"

Josh was now no longer rubbing her neck, but caressing it, and her jawline, with careful fingers. He was silent for a few more moments.  Then, he gently pushed her head to the other side, and pulled her hair out, so that he could caress the other side of her neck. Donna's breathing became more shallow.

"You've gotten more beautiful, every day, since I first met you. That's something else that I've noticed."

Donna held her breath now. With her eyes closed, all she could see were her feet hanging over the edge of a cliff.

"And I've noticed that I'm never as happy as when I'm with you, when it's just us, like this," Josh said, now whispering directly into her ear.

"Josh," Donna said, not knowing what else to say.

"I want more of this," Josh said, desperately hoping that Donna knew what he meant, desperately hoping that she felt the same way. "Do you want more of this?"

Donna was silent for a long, long moment, then reached a hand up to cover Josh's hand on the side of her neck, and pulled it around so that his arm was wrapped around the front of her body, his hand wrapping high around her ribs on her side. "Yes," she whispered back. 

Josh let out a long breath, and sent a silent thank you to heaven. They sat, awkwardly holding each other with Donna's chair between them, for a few more moments. 

Josh finally spoke again. "Leo noticed something, too," he said.

"Leo?"

"Yeah...and the President."

"Josh, what..."

"It's ok, Donna. They noticed...us. Leo said...he said it's ok."

Donna wrapped her free arm around Josh's, so that they were both hugging her. "It is? Really?"

"Yes," Josh said, leaning his forehead against the back of her head, and breathing her in. "Finally."

Donna started to turn in her chair, and Josh pulled his arm back to allow her to do so. He brushed her hair back from her face, trailing his fingertips down her neck, over the spot that had been so twisted and sore. She felt herself free-falling through space. She had made the jump.

She reached out a shaking hand to run her fingertips down the side of Josh's neck, the way he had with her. Her delicate hands ran over the tendons in his neck, and she felt them tense up as he reacted to her touch. She flicked her eyes between Josh's, which were glued to hers, and to the sight of her hand on his neck. "I almost don't know where to start after all this time," she murmured.

Josh was ready to suggest any number of places where she could start, but then he caught a flicker of...something...in her eyes that worried him.

"What, Donnatella?"

Donna raised worried blue eyes to his. "What if we screw it up?" she whispered. "I'm almost afraid to..."

"We won't," Josh said firmly, grabbing her hands and lacing his fingers together with hers. "We can't. Don't be afraid of this, Donna. Don't be afraid of us. I'm finally not afraid of us." He was about to go on, when they heard someone calling for Josh in the bullpen. They both untangled their hands, and backed their bodies away, into acceptable personal spaces in their own seats, and then heard a knock on Josh's partially opened door. CJ popped her head in to see Josh and Donna sitting and staring at each other. Josh finally pulled his eyes away, and looked up to say hello to CJ.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Yes," Josh said, a gleam in his eyes. He looked back at Donna for a moment, her eyes widening as she thought he was going to tell CJ what they were talking about. Instead, he said, "I was just about to tell Donna about the Ball."

"What in the hell have you been waiting for? Donna, it's going to be so amazing! I have a line on a costume and mask shop that I want you to come check out."

Donna was having a hard time changing gears into this new conversation, because she so desperately wanted to continue with the old one. There's an *us.* He wants an us. He's not afraid of us anymore. He thinks I'm beautiful. It was almost too good to be true.  "Ah, ok, what? A ball? Why would I need a costume?"

CJ rolled her eyes, and came in to grab Donna's hand. "Come on down to my office; Carol and Margaret are in there looking at the shop's website. I'll fill you in on the way. This is going to be so much fun!" she said, pulling Donna along and not seeing the look passing between her and Josh. Donna opened her mouth to protest, but Josh said, "It's ok, Donna. I'm not going anywhere." Donna smiled even more broadly at his words, understanding their double meaning. "Ok," she said, following CJ out into the hall.

*****************

The next month was crazy in the West Wing. Josh was off with the President on a tour of Europe, and Donna was run ragged trying to keep up with everything in his office. She dragged herself home one night at midnight, and she couldn't wait to crawl into bed . 

                

She dreamed of him every night, which wasn't new, but now, when she woke clinging to the edges of the dreams, where he was kissing her and loving her in his bed, she wasn't melancholy in the light of day.  She knew the dreams would become reality, and soon.

Her phone was ringing as she entered her apartment, and she ran to grab it.

"Hello?"

"Donna? It's me."

"Josh! Hi!  Where are you? I didn't hear from you this morning."

"I know, I'm sorry...it was crazy, we had breakfast at the Vatican with the Pope, then flew to Germany; we were all over Germany today. I'm not sure where we are now...Frankfurt, maybe? Yeah, Frankfurt. God I'm tired."

"You must be...Josh, it's early there, isn't it?"

"6am."

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

Josh paused, looking out the window of his hotel room at the rising sun. "My sleep patterns are all screwed up with the time changes, so I just..."

"You just, what?"

"I just lay in bed, and can't sleep. So I think about you," Josh sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "And that doesn't help matters in the least," he said, laughing ruefully. "I miss you."

Donna sank onto her couch, the phone cradled to her ear, touched beyond words at what he had told her. "I miss you too," she said. 

"I haven't forgotten...what we talked about," Josh said, still feeling like he needed to be cryptic, in case someone was listening.

"Good," Donna said, smiling. "I haven't either. And...Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not afraid anymore," she said, holding her breath to hear his reaction. She could almost hear him smiling over the phone.

"Good," he echoed back to her. "So, I was thinking..."

"Never a good sign," Donna snarked back.

"You know, Donnatella, we were having a moment, here..."

Donna laughed. "I'm sorry. What were you thinking, Josh?"

"Well, Halloween? Is on a Friday night."

"Yes...?"

"And I just talked to Leo...he's going to give all of us that weekend off, as long as we call in."

"Ok," Donna said, smiling a bit. She hoped this was going where she hoped it was going.

Josh stood, smiling, one hand on his hip, the other holding Donna to his ear, as close as possible from so far away. Screw it, he didn't care anymore if anyone was listening. "Come home with me after the ball. Stay 'til Monday." *Stay forever,* he wanted to say.

Donna felt her heart shift. "You're sure?"

Josh groaned. "Believe me Donna, I'm sure. I was sure 6 years ago, I just...we couldn't, then. Now we can. And I'm sure."

Donna smiled even more. "Ok."

"Ok, as in Ok, Ok?"

Donna laughed. "Yes, Josh. I'm yours for the weekend."

Josh got serious for a moment. "Not just for the weekend. You know that, right, Donna? Not just for the weekend?"

She exhaled, and smiled. "I do, now. I needed to hear you say it. Go, get some sleep. I'll be here when you get back."

"'Kay. Tell Leo I got the commitment from Chancellor Beck he wanted on the thing."

"Ok. Now, go to sleep! You're no good to me when you're tired."

"'Kay. Bye, Donna. I miss you."

"I miss you too, Josh. Bye."

Neither hung up for a moment, waiting to hear the other do so. Donna smiled into the phone. "Good night, Joshua," and hung up on her end. 

Josh smiled as he heard the dial tone. "Good morning, Donnatella," he said, then re-cradled the receiver and headed for his rumpled sheets once more.

***************

"Tell me."

"Nope."

"Donna! Tell me!"

"Nope."

"Come on!"

"Oh, well, if you put it that way...nope."

"I told you about mine!"

"I know, and I'm all excited to see it, too!"

"So, you know, Donna, tit for tat!"

"You really ought to be careful how you say that, you know..."

"Donna!"

Josh and Donna were bantering over a desk-ful of Chinese takeout, and Josh was trying desperately to find out what Donna's costume was going to be for the next night's ball.

"I'm going to see it tomorrow night, you might as well tell me."

"But Josh, see, that's the whole point of a masquerade; you're not supposed to know who anyone is. I'll be masked and in costume, you shouldn't know who I am ahead of time. That's half the fun of something like this."

"So why didn't you tell me that before I told you that I'm going as a sailor?"

"Because now I have the upper hand," Donna said with glee.

Josh glared at her for a moment, then speared another dumpling with his chopsticks.

"Won't matter," Josh said, chewing and talking with his mouth full.

"What won't?"

"It won't matter if you don't tell me," Josh said, swallowing. "I'll know who you are."

"No you won't," Donna said, smiling into her box of Moo Goo Gai Pan.

"Of course I will," he said, a smug look on his face. He reached out to tug at a lock of her hair, then dragged a finger down the side of her neck. "I'd know you anywhere," he said, his voice dropping a few octaves to the level he used when he was being suggestive.

Donna slowly raised her eyes to his. *One more day,* she thought, every nerve fiber in her body straining towards him. They hadn't kissed yet. They hadn't discussed it, but they both ust...knew, they both wanted to wait, and let it happen tomorrow night. Their first kiss, their first...everything, would happen tomorrow night. The waiting was heightening the anticipation, but it was making them both crazy as well. She licked her lips and heard him groan.

They unfortunately couldn't date like regular folks, and they knew all about each other anyway. So they had spent what private time they had together in the office over the last month doing little things to make the other crazy. Small touches, kind gestures, or suggestive glances meant to keep each other on edge as they got used to the idea of being a couple. Tomorrow night couldn't come soon enough for either of them. Loving the response she had gotten from licking her lips, she now bit her bottom lip in the way he had recently told her totally turned him on, and watched his eyes as he watched her lips. "Trust me, Josh, it's a really good costume. You won't know me at all."

"Wanna bet?" he said, voice still low and throaty.

"Sure," she said, smiling now. "What're the terms?"

"Let me think." Josh studied her for a moment. "If you're right, and I can't figure out who you are by midnight..."

"Oooh, the witching hour," Donna said. "Continue."

"...then I'll bring *you* coffee every morning for the rest of our time in the White House."

"Oh, I am so loving this bet," Donna said, laughing. "And I'm so gonna win. But, you know, on the off chance that some Halloween magic allows you to see past my disguise, what would you want?"

"When I win this bet tomorrow night, Donnatella..."

"Yes?" she said, with a smirk.

"...you have to move in with me."

That wiped the smirk off her face.

"What?"

"I don't just want a weekend, Donna. I don't just want stolen moments here and there. I want to wake up with you, every day. I want to smell your hair and hold you when we fall asleep at night."

Donna didn't have any idea what to say, she was so overwhelmed. She was also already seriously thinking of ways she could manage to lose the bet. Coffee every morning no longer seemed like the bigger prize.

"We haven't even...done...anything yet," Donna whispered.

"So?" Josh said, smiling at her.

"So...what if..."

"We're bad at it? Not possible."

Donna just had to laugh at his ego, but Josh could still read her eyes.

"Donnatella. Look at me."

Donna slowly raised her eyes to his, across the expanse of his desk. "I've fantasized about being with you for 6 years now." He nodded when he saw her eyes go wide at that admission. "6 years. And I know, I *know*, that reality is going to blow every fantasy I've ever had about you right out of the water. I've imagined what every inch of you looks like, and tomorrow night? I get to find out for real. And I know that I'm not going to be able to let you go after just a weekend. So you see, Donnatella Moss," he said, sitting back and keeping his eyes on hers, "I'm going to win this bet. I have to."

Donna gaped at Josh for a moment, then stuck out her hand for him to shake. "It's a bet," she said, laughing as he shook her hand, then brought it to his mouth for a gallant kiss across her knuckles. She pulled her hand back, grabbed the empty cartons and headed for the door. "I like my coffee light, one sugar," she reminded Josh. She looked back over her shoulder at him, and saw him tilted back in his chair, arms behind his head. 

"'Kay. And just so you know, I like to sleep in the nude," he said, cocking one eyebrow at her. "And when you move in, I'm going to have to insist that you do the same," he said, loving the blush that spread across her face.

*****************

"Josh, calm down! She'll be here."

"I know, CJ, I just can't wait to see her."

"I know...she wouldn't even tell *me* what she's wearing."

"Hmmm...you know, speaking of what people are wearing, CJ..."

"Yes, mi amor?"

"If I wasn't already spoken for, I'd be hitting on you like nobody's business. You look amazing."

CJ beamed at Josh, knowing full well they were friends and that wasit. Still, it was nice to hear, even from a friend, that she was looking good. Her mermaid outfit seemed to have had the desired effect on most of the men in the room.

"Thanks. But how did you know it was me?"

"You're a 6-foot tall drop-dead gorgeous mermaid, CJ. You're hard to miss."

CJ sighed in mock frustration. "Yeah, you don't get too many 6-foot sea sirens these days. Anyway. Oh, good Christ, here comes Lord John Marbury. Hide me."

"Um, CJ, you're 6 feet, remember? You're not going to fit behind me..."

"CLAUDIA! You're looking ravishing. May I have this dance?"

CJ shot Josh a withering glare as she let His Lordship lead her to the dance floor.

Toby came up beside Josh at that point, chuckling at CJ's expense. Josh turned to look, then frowned.

"Toby."

"Joshua."

"Did you not get the memo? It's a masquerade, costume ball."

"I heard."

"So you're not wearing a mask."

"Couldn't find one in my size."

"And you're wearing a tux."

"So I am."

"And you are..."

"Ziegler. Toby Ziegler."

"Oh for the love of God. Bond? You already had that tuxedo. You're cheating."

"I'm really not, Sailor."

"Alright, shut up...I look hot in dress blues, you gotta admit."

"I really don't."

"Whatever. I look hot. Now, if I could just find Donna, she could corroborate my hotness, and then we'll see that I'm right on this subject."

Toby smiled. CJ had told him, in confidence, that Josh and Donna were going to go public at some point; she had gotten a heads-up from Leo in case she got the question from the press. As hard-bitten as Toby was, it did his heart good to see Josh and Donna finally getting together. "I haven't seen her yet," Toby said, searching the crowd. 

Josh was searching as well, until he saw a brunette woman shaking the hand of the President of France. A slow smile spread across his face. "I have," he said, handing his drink off to Toby, and making his way across the room to get a closer look.

She knew where he was almost immediately; she always knew where Josh was in a room. *Oh, dear lord, he looks hot in that uniform,* she thought. She made a concerted effort, however, to not look in his direction, to not tip him off. She moved gracefully throughout the East Room of the White House, which had been decorated to the nines with all sorts of spooky lights and props. She smiled inwardly at CJ's costume, and thought that the cowboy in the corner was probably Sam, due to the way he was standing rather awkwardly, and tugging at his gun belt to keep it in place. Donna moved to the bar, and ordered herself a glass of white wine. She smoothed down the front of her skirts with one hand, contemplating her outfit. 

She had loved it at first sight. Her roommate Julia broke every rule in the book, and brought Donna backstage at Georgetown University's theatre department, where Julia worked part-time cataloging props and costumes for the many productions the school put on. They went late one night to try to find something in Donna's size for her to borrow for the Ball, and Donna was thrilled that the heavy, feminine dress - something right out of the 18th century - fit her just about perfectly. It had a tight, corseted bodice that pushed her breasts up over the top. She was amazed to see that she had cleavage. The body of the dress was made from rich red velvet and satin. There was lace at the sleeves, and a huge voluminous skirt that ballooned out around her. She looked and felt like a Queen. They had finished off the illusion with a large brown wig, full of cascading brown curls, and the one piece that Donna bought for the occasion, her mask. It was a masterpiece of sparkly red, pink, and purple beading and long black feathers that covered her face from the nose up, and came out to long points at angles away from her face. She thought that Julia had done a great job with her makeup, not that you could see it beneath the mask, anyway, but Donna's mouth was painted a rich red, not even close to the pale gloss she usually wore. 

She was fairly certain she was going to win the bet with Josh, yet she was hoping that even if she did, his offer to move in would still stand. She had a feeling it might. She looked at the clock in the corner; it was 9:30pm.

Over 2 hours later, Donna was the talk of the room. She was the silent beauty who danced with a good number of men who asked her, yet just smiled politely and didn't say a word to those who led her to the dance floor. She danced with ease, and smiled her enigmatic smile, curtseying to express her thanks for the dances. Everyone was desperate to know who she was.

One person knew. And had watched her from the shadows all night.

Donna curtsied, with a grin on her face, to Sam, with whom she just finished dancing. She smiled mysteriously when he asked her for her name. "Come on! We're only a few minutes away from the reveal at midnight...give me a jump on the rest of the room!"

Donna merely smiled her mysterious smile, and turned to drift away into the crowd.

She came face to face with Josh.

"Good evening, Miss. I don't believe I've had a dance with you yet. Would you do me the honor?" Josh held out a hand.

Donna nodded her head, took Josh's hand, and hit the dance floor for a slow song. They disappeared into the center of the floor, swallowed by the crush of the crowd.

She was held in his arms in the old-fashioned way, with her right hand in his left, extended from their bodies, her left hand on his shoulder, his right on her hip. 

They were silent during the first verse, just looking into each other's eyes. Hers were shadowed by her mask, his were unhindered, as he had tossed his mask aside before asking her to dance.

Josh pulled her closer to him, erasing the distance between them, and pulled their extended hands in towards their bodies. He could feel her heart thudding.

"Everyone's wondering who you are," he murmured in her ear as they swayed and moved. "You're the belle of the Ball. You've got people wondering what magic spell you've woven on us all."

Donna's fingers tightened ever so slightly in Josh's hand, and on his shoulder.

"I've had the advantage all night, though," Josh continued. "Because I knew who you were the second you entered the room."

Josh brought their joined hands up closer to her neck, so he could stroke the long length of it with one finger. He watched her skin shiver in response.

"I know the way you walk. I've watched you all these years," he said, his lips now close to her ear and moving over it while he spoke. "I know exactly how your hips sway when you move. I know how high heels make your back arch," he said, lowering the hand on her back down to follow the curve, then back up again to stroke the bare skin at the top of her dress. 

"I've studied your hands, all these years. These competent, strong, delicate hands," he said, bringing the inside of her wrist to his mouth for a caress from his lips. He felt her pulse thudding there as well. "I watched you pick up your glass of wine earlier tonight, and I knew you from your hands. I've wondered what they'd feel like, running over my body."

Donna gave an inadvertent, almost unnoticeable gasp at the erotic image Josh was presenting her. 

*Almost* unnoticeable. Josh noticed.

"You covered your beautiful, silky hair. It looks like spun gold. But that's ok. I'll uncover it later," he promised. "But this dress shows off your neck. I could draw it from memory, I've thought about your neck so much over the years. I've wanted to kiss you here," he said, pressing his lips to the spot that he rubbed for her the other night. "I've wanted to kiss you here for so long," he murmured, running his mouth across and under her jawline.

"And now that I have you up close, I have even more proof of who you are," he said, moving his mouth to the other side of her neck, still teasing her with lips and mouth and the barest touch of his tongue to her earlobe. "Because I know your scent. I could pick you out of a crowd blindfolded. You smell like fields full of lavender and sunshine. Every day, I come in to work, and I can't wait for that first trace of you to float towards me. Now I can't wait to have your scent lingering on my sheets," he whispered, his fingers now flexing on her skin as he tried to keep himself in control. 

"And now that I have you up close, I can see your eyes behind that mask. You have the bluest eyes I've ever seen. You can't hide from me when I can see your eyes. They tell me everything, they always have. They tell me when you're happy, or hurt, or worried about me, or tired. Lately I've gotten to see something new in them," he added, staring into her eyes. "Your eyes tell me that you want me just as much as I want you," he whispered.

"And now that I have you in my arms, I'm so close to your lips. You tried to trick me, tonight," he chided, smiling, "with a new shade of lipstick. It's sexy, but you don't need to do that," he said, running a thumb just under and around her bottom lip, teasing her. "You have the most erotic mouth, just as it is," he said, his eyes darting from her mouth to her eyes, to watch what his touch, what his words did to her. "I have waited so long to kiss your mouth, to taste you." 

They had stopped moving altogether on the dance floor. Donna couldn't stand it any more. She started to speak his name, on a whisper. "Jo..."

But he stopped her with a finger against her lips. "Don't say anything," he said. "Not yet. The masquerade's not over yet. Come home with me. Come home with me right now."

Donna nodded, and without any further encouragement, Josh started leading her off the floor and towards the exit, just as lights were going up inside and people were starting to take off their masks to reveal their true selves.

****************

They didn’t say a word to each other as they waited for the valet to bring his car around; he held her hand, though, stroking his thumb over her knuckles and the inside of her wrist.

They didn’t say a word to each other during the 10-minute drive back to his apartment.

They didn’t say a word to each other as they walked up the stairs, and he unlocked his front door.  

She heard the lock click behind her, and turned to see Josh, in the dark, standing, and waiting for her.  

She reached up to remove her mask, and Josh stepped forward.  “Don’t.  Leave it on.”

She looked up into his eyes, surprised, and now unbearably excited.  She reached out, grabbed Josh by the jacket, and pulled him closer to her.  She started unbuttoning the shiny buttons that ran down the front, and pushed the jacket off his shoulders.  He caught it with his hands, and then laid it on the sofa. “Fitz’d have me shot if he knew I let a Navy uniform hit the floor,” Josh joked. 

*He’s nervous,* Donna thought, *he’s making jokes.* She was touched; she thought she was the only one who had butterflies in her gut.  *And the advantage is mine, again!*  she thought with a small bit of glee.

Donna looked up at Josh, from behind her mask, and blinked her eyes at him, slowly, deliberately.  She reached out for his shirt, and began unbuttoning the crisp white oxford while slowing walking backwards towards his bedroom.  She had it hanging open by the time they got there. 

The room was bathed in the light of a harvest moon.  Donna pushed Josh gently down to sit on the edge of the bed.  She stepped closer, between his legs, and pushed his shirt down over his shoulders.  She pulled the sleeves free of his hands, and then laid the shirt on a chair.  She ran a finger down the center of his T-shirt, and then grabbed the hem with both hands, pulling it free of his pants.  She pulled it up and over his head, and threw it behind her.

She stood still for a moment, looking into his eyes.  Then she lowered her gaze to his chest, and with the same finger, traced the length of the scar on his chest.  She flattened her hand across his heart when she was done.  His breathing had become louder, and he pulled her hand from his skin and kissed the palm of her hand.

She smiled.  She stepped forward, and then turned around, hoping he’d get the message.  He did; he reached up and pulled the zipper on her dress down, from her shoulder blades to beneath her rear. She stepped away before he could pull it open.  She turned back around and could read the frustration on his face.  Donna smiled again.  She bent over, and began unfastening Josh’s pants, causing him to groan and grip the bedspread with his hands.  She got the button and zipper undone, and caressed his erection with the back of her hands as she bent further to remove his shoes and socks.  Those gone, she pulled his pants off by pulling from the cuffs, and laid them on the chair.  Now Josh just had on a pair of dark boxers.

“You have too many clothes on,” he said in a low growl.  He stood now, in front of her, pulling her upright, and began kissing the side of her neck, his hands moving to her shoulders.  As he trailed his mouth and tongue down the side of her neck, down to her collarbone, he began to pull and slide the material of the dress down the front of her body, off of her arms, to hang at her waist.  He pulled back from her skin to see what she had on underneath...and stopped breathing altogether.  The corset-like appearance of the gown was courtesy of a white satin corset that she was wearing underneath.  The tops of her breasts were rounded over the top of the horizontal edge of the piece.

Desperate to see the rest of her, now, Josh pushed the voluminous dress down, off of her hips to the floor.  He held her hands as she stepped the rest of the way out of the dress and kicked it behind her.

The corset had sheer-white, sparkly stockings attached to it with garters, and they ran the length of her gloriously long legs, ending with a pair of stiletto heels that were straight out of his erotic fantasies.  She still wore the wig and mask.

She reached her hands into the back of his boxers, and caressed his rear with her hands; by doing so she pulled him into her, and his erection bore into her midsection.  She reached up a bit to pull the boxers down his body, so that he was finally nude before her.  She reached between them to stroke his shaft, to rub it against the silk of the corset and make him wild.

It worked.  With a low snarl he turned them both and guided her back onto the bed, to lay her out flat before him.  He lay on top of her, his mouth a fraction of an inch from her own, and still he didn’t kiss her.  With a wicked smile, he began to work his way down her body with his mouth and hands.  He kissed from her ears down her neck to her chest, molding the corset to her body with his hands as he devoured the tops of her breasts, making her want to beg for more.  He skimmed his mouth over her midsection and backed up to run his hands up and down her silk-clad legs.  He gently pulled off her high heels and dropped them to the floor.

He moved back up leaned over her.  He unsnapped her garters, one by one, then reached up and found the hooks and eyes that ran the length of the middle of her corset.  One by one, he pulled them apart, until finally, the last snap gave way, and he was able to see her.  He reached down and took one already-hardening nipple into his mouth, causing her to arch her back and bring her hands to the back of his head, silently begging for more.  He devoured her breasts, using fingers and lips and his tongue and the heat of his mouth to nip and pull at her, laving the scorching tips and making her start to moan.

He then worked his mouth down the flat plane of her stomach, and hooked his fingers around the thin bands of the white lace thong that covered her.  He pulled it down her legs, still encased in the stockings he had left on her.  He positioned himself between her thighs, teasing her with one finger, then looking up at her.  “Watch me,” he said, his mouth lowering.  “Watch us,” as he dipped his tongue into her, then dragged it up to start teasing her clit.  Slowly, torturously, he flicked at her, suckled, rubbed at her, building her to peak over and over again but not letting her fall over it.  His hands ran all over her legs and he worked her with his mouth; her hands tangled in his hair as she began to moan and gasp aloud. 

Just when she thought she’d explode from the pressure building within her, Josh crawled back up her body.  “I need to be inside of you,” he growled, burying his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder to lick at the skin there.  “But first I need to see all of you,” he said, pulling his hands up and, in one smooth motion, pulling the mask and wig off of Donna’s face and head.  Her blond hair came raining down as finally, *finally,* Josh dug his hands into her scalp and molded his mouth to her own.

She banded her arms and legs around him, touching him everywhere, pulling his head in closer to her own as their tongues tangled, explored the other’s mouth in a desperate melding of their mouths.  Donna kissed her way across his face, and buried her own lips in Josh’s neck, and finally, *finally,* spoke against his ear.  “Josh, please...” she moaned, running her hand down his back to his ass, pulling him towards him. 

In one motion, he pulled her legs up around him, and entered her, finding her hot and ready and waiting for him.  They both cried out at the same time.  He began to piston into her, never releasing her mouth from his own.  He ran his hands over her breasts, down her legs, tangled them into her hair – he couldn’t get her close enough, he couldn’t get enough of her.  He murmured her name against her lips – “Donnatella, Donnatella,” over and over again.

He felt her begin to shake, and pulsate around him; she tightened on his cock and arched her back as her orgasm shook her body.  She called out his name when she did.  He held her close as she rode out the wave, then just as she started to come down, he began rocking into her again, faster and harder, for so long on the edge, now gloriously close to releasing.  And he did, finally, shooting into her, feeling her close around him, her arms holding him in tight, holding him while he shook and shivered on top of her.  He never stopped kissing her mouth, moaning against her lips, stealing her breath, caressing her face and hair.

The masquerade was over.

***************

They lay entwined, wrapped around each other on his bed, enjoying the feel of each other’s bare skin, trailing hands over each other’s bodies as they continued to get to know each other.  

They were still kissing.

Finally, Donna broke away from Josh’s mouth and rolled so that she was laying on top of him.  She rested her chin on her hands, on Josh’s chest, and looked up at him.  The window behind his bed illuminated his face and body with blue light.

“Joshua Lyman!”

“That’s me.  Wait, I think that’s me...I seem to be having trouble thinking clearly at the moment...”

“Yes, that’s you.  You’ve got smug face on.”

“Smug face?”

“Yes, your ‘Bring me the finest muffins and bagels in the land,’ face, your ‘I drink from the cup of victory face.’”

“I have no such face.”

“Yes you do.”

“Ok, I do.  Hey, what can I say, Donna?  I won the bet,” he said, beaming down at her.  In any other time, place, or moment, she’d be annoyed with him, but she was too happy to try to care that she had, in fact, lost the bet.

“I won, too,” she murmured, tracing his chin with the tip of one finger.  The look of love on her face caused Josh to reach out to her, both hands cradling her face, and kiss her senseless once again.  He rolled her beneath him and made love to her again.

An hour later, they were once again wrapped up in each other, caressing and whispering in the dark.  Donna snuggled under Josh’s arm, and remembered where their conversation had left off.  “It’s a shame,” she said with a mock sigh.

“What is?” Josh asked, as he memorized the curve of her breast with his hands.

“I really would have enjoyed having you fetch me coffee every morning,” she said, smiling into the side of his chest.

Josh smiled too, and began working up an appropriate retort, when he realized...that he didn’t want to joke anymore. Trailing his fingers up and down her arm, he answered, “Well, how about I make a deal with you.”

“Jeez, Josh, deals, bets, who are you, Monty Hall?  Do you have a secret gambling problem that I should know about?”

“Do you want to hear my deal or not?  There’s morning coffee on the line here.”

Donna smiled again, nuzzling now to get closer to the warmth of his body.  “Sorry.  Carry on.  You have a deal for me?”

“Yup.”

“Let’s hear the terms.”

“Ok.  I’ll make you coffee every morning...”

“I’m liking the sound of this already...”

“If you marry me.”

“WHAT?”  Donna sat straight up in bed and turned to look at him.  He was laying back, arms now casually linked behind his head, a grin spreading across his face. 

“Of course we’ll have to buy a coffeemaker, or register for one, because I don’t actually HAVE one, and I’m always running late in the morning so I probably won’t have time to stop at Starbucks...”

“JOSH!”

Josh was beaming now.  “Yes, Donnatella?”

“I...you...what just....”

Josh sat up now and hopped out of bed.  He took two steps over to the chair where Donna had laid his pants earlier that evening.  He reached in the pocket, and hid something in his hand.

He came back over to Donna’s side of the bed, naked, took her hand, and got down on one knee.

“Donnatella Moss?”

“Oh, dear god, are you doing what I think you’re about to do?”

Josh grinned.  “Yup.”

“Put your boxers on.”

“What?”

“Josh, the President and Leo and god help me, my mother are all going to ask me how you did this, and I can’t lie to any of those people, and I don’t want to tell them you were naked, so put on your boxers.”

“Ok, you’re wrecking my mojo, here...”

“Josh!”

Josh was so amused by Donna’s newfound sense of propriety – given that she was, in fact, naked on the bed before him - that he laughed, then groaned as he got up off the floor, went around to the other side of the bed, found his boxers, pulled them on, then went BACK to Donna’s side of the bed.  “Are we good now?” he said, laughing.

“Yes.  As you were.”

“Are you sure?  Because, you know, what if someone asks about whether or not I had a SHIRT on...”

“JOSH!”

“Right,” he said, laughing again.  “Let’s try this again.”  He reached for her hand, and brought his eyes to hers as she sat, clutching a sheet to her chest with her free hand.  “Donnatella Moss?”

“Yes?” she said, an enormous grin on her face.

“Will you marry me?”

“YES!” she shrieked, pulling him up onto the bed and on top of her.  She felt him slip a ring on her hand, and rolled him over the bed until she was spread over him once again.  She framed his head with her hands, and pulled back to look at him.  Then she noticed the ring.

“Josh.”

“Yes, Donna.”

“You just proposed...”

“I know!  I was there.  I did a damn good job of it, too, no help from you I might add...”

“You just proposed to me with a black plastic spider ring.”

He beamed at her, pulling her hair back and tucking it behind one side of her neck, then burying his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder.  “I was improvising,” he said, nipping and licking his way up to her ear.  With her earlobe between his teeth, he murmured, “There was a whole bowl full of them at the bar at the Ball,” he said, chuckling.  “I’ll buy you a real one tomorrow.”

“Monday,” she said, kissing him now for all she was worth.  “You said I didn’t have to leave until Monday,” she said, laughing.

“That was before the bet,” he said, pulling the sheet away from her and kissing his way down her body.  “Now you don’t ever have to leave,” he promised, dragging his hands, palms splayed wide, down the front of her body to rest on her hips.  He pulled her down to him, and entered her slowly.  She gasped, arched her back, sighed and smiled almost all at once, then tangled her hands in his hair.

“When?” she murmured, already lost in the sensations he was producing in her.

“When what?” he answered, his tongue flicking at the tip of her breast.

“When can we get married?” she said, taking the initiative and spinning them over, so that she was on top, taking him deeper into herself.

When he could finally speak, he smiled up into her face, kissed her hard, and said, “One year from today.  Halloween.  It’s my new favorite holiday.”


End file.
